Livin' the Dream in Lima

Remember when you were a student how the end of the school year was always spent running around like a crazy person trying to get projects finished, study for tests, and wrap up all the little loose ends? Wel, it's like that for teachers, too, except maybe worse... the month of May is over halfway done, and I don't know where it has gone! And they brought this precious one. Last weekend, my parents came out to visit. While my Business Man and dad worked on some house projects, my mom and I (naturally) headed down to Columbus for some shopping and girly time. It's always best to leave the mess at home. Plus, we were celebrating both  our birthdays and  Mother's Day, so it was definitely necessary. Trying to self-photo with the iPhone. Not so successful. The best part? We were both equipped with lots of gift cards and birthday money, so very little spending was done from our own pockets. Gotta love it. The other best part? These chocolates they were handi...

Man, it has been a whirlwind of a weekend! My parents came into town for a visit, and to help us work on our house. (Big news there... that seems to be the only thing we do when they come to town!) So, naturally, on Saturday my mom and I got out of town. We left the men to deal with the home improvement projects and went to one of our favorite places within 100 miles of the Bean Town - Easton Town Center ! A girly day full of shopping, catching up, and eating was just what we needed. Unfortunately, we forgot the camera at home, so you will have to live vicariously through the images I have found on Google. We started the day off at Crate and Barrel . Which was completely decked out for Christmas. Wheeee! I picked up a few more Christmas plates to match the set we got for Christmas last year from my Business Man's parents. Don't you just want to come over for dinner now? Haha... we aren't using them just quite yet. Not until after Thanksgiving. [ Source ] It to...

Last Thursday, we had some special visitors arrive in the Bean Town. Just before our morning walk. Coffee was necessary. You see, my gardening skills are not quite up-to-par. They're basically non-existent. But my mom's? She is a wonderful  gardener! Her yard is beautiful. And huge. And just gorgeous. So she came out to visit for the weekend to help us get started in the yard. And she brought one of my favorite friends from home! Maggie! So happy we have a place for a pup to stay when my parents come visit. It is incredibly difficult to capture a picture with both myself and the dog looking halfway normal. So please take my face from the top picture and place it with Maggie's from the bottom. There! Pretty! We were gonna get started first thing Friday morning, but it was raining. Darn. We just had to do some shopping and go out to lunch instead.  We tried out a restaurant that I've yet to visit in the Bean Town, called Vivace . It's a cute little Medi...

Today.................................................................... is a very special day!  Nope, not the day I graduated college. But my sweet momma's birthday! (I chose this pic because we had just returned from a week at the beach and are sporting lovely tans. Mom, when can we go back?!?) Now, if we were living in the same general vicinity (or even the same state!) today would be the one day  each year where I bake the Chocolate Chip Date Cake . You see, it is my mom's favorite. I don't like it. (Cake with dates in it? Eww.... However the crumb topping is delightful. I might have been known to scrape the topping off and shovel that into my mouth instead of cake.) Anyways, every year I make that cake for my mom on her birthday. Since we can't be together this year, she will have to wait until next time we see each other for her cake. Hopefully this picture of a cherry-chocolate chip scone will satisfy you until now, Mom. Let me share with you a f...